Malayala Manorama Accused of Misrepresenting Vote Counts in Kunnathur Constituency

Thiruvananthapuram: Malayala Manorama has been accused of misrepresenting vote counts in the local body elections by including the Kunnathur Assembly constituency—considered a Left stronghold—in the UDF’s list of winning constituencies. The move is alleged to have been aimed at misleading voters.

In a report claiming that the UDF had an edge in four constituencies, Malayala Manorama stated that the UDF had secured a narrow majority of 594 votes in Kunnathur. However, the LDF actually holds a commanding majority of 15,498 votes in the constituency. Similarly, in Kottarakkara, the LDF’s majority was initially reported as 144 votes on the first day, but by Tuesday the figure stood at 11,270 votes.

The Kunnathur Assembly constituency comprises ten panchayats spread across the Shoranur, Kunnathur, Thodiyoor and Kundara District Panchayat divisions. The LDF emerged victorious in three of the four district panchayat divisions—excluding Kundara—and also won in the panchayats of Kunnathur, Sasthamkotta, Padinjare Kallada, Mynagappally, Poruvazhy and Munroe Thuruthu.

The UDF secured victories in the panchayats of Shoranur South, Shoranur North, Pavithreswaram and Kizhakke Kallada. Overall, in the Kunnathur Assembly constituency, the LDF polled 73,720 votes, while the UDF received 58,222 votes and the BJP secured 34,446 votes.